


I'll Be Your Boyfriend

by the_girl_without_a_face



Category: Political Animals
Genre: Best Friends, Best Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-09-26 22:11:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20396968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_girl_without_a_face/pseuds/the_girl_without_a_face
Summary: You have to go to a family meeting, but your family isn’t exactly the warmest. Some very annoying aunts want to meet your boyfriend, even though you tell them there is none. TJ, as your best friend, offers to pose as your boyfriend for a few days. Can the façade become real?





	I'll Be Your Boyfriend

There was no running from it this time, absolutely no way.

Your family planned a trip to celebrate your grandmother’s birthday, which would take said grandmother along. Which meant you had to go. Your grandmother was your favorite family member and every year you’d make a quick stop by her house on her birthday and congratulate her, spending some more time with her during the week. All of that so you wouldn’t have to face your family.

It’s not that you hated them. It’s just that they were… difficult. Annoying young cousins, nosy aunts, male chauvinists uncles… It demanded patience.

You sighed heavily as you threw yourself onto the couch, chocolate and laptop in hands. If you had to spend some days with your family, you had to prepare yourself. Binge watching your favorite show while devouring chocolate seemed like a good idea.

Mid-way through the third episode, your phone buzzed. Aunt Evelyn was calling.

“Hello?”

“I heard you’re coming this year, darling!” She squealed instead of greeting you. you momentarily pushed your phone away from your ear. “About time you stopped being such a brooding person and remembered you have a family. I hope to see your boyfriend this time. You’re not still single, are you?” she laughed. “Well, I gotta go. See you in a few days!”

And she hung up without waiting for a reply.

Your phone buzzed again and it was almost ignored, but you did flop it around to see what it was. A text message, from TJ, your best friend.

Hey, beautiful.

Another buzz.

You know I love you, right?Buzz again. In a completely hypothetical question… Buzz. Do you happen to have ice cream? Buzz. I also wanna spend time with you. ?Buzz. Don’t be mad. Of course TJ would think you’d be mad just because you didn’t answer him in two minutes. Buzz. I just asked to know if we could just stay at your place or we had to go out to get ice cream. Buzz. It doesn’t have to be ice cream.

You smiled as you read the messages, unlocking your phone to fire him a text back.

Got it.

Be there in 5.

Four minutes later TJ opened your apartment’s door with the extra key you had given him. He had a huge smile on his lips, his hair styled, a heavy dark coat because of the season and a bag in hands.

He held it up and arched his eyebrows, “I brought toppings!”

You went to your kitchen, TJ hot on your heels. You retrieved the three different pots of ice cream from your freezer.

“Good. I need it.”

He stood before you, his strong arms circling your frame, and a worried expression on his face.

“What happened?”

You sighed. “Family trip.”

“With your family?”

“Yep.”

“I’ll get the alcohol,” he said and walked to get the bottles in your living room, “Ice cream be dammed.”

You quickly shouted at him. “But I want ice cream!”

His voice from the corridor, “Then we’ll have ice cream too!”

“Good!” you shouted even though he had already came back. He laughed and you felt yourself relaxing simply by the sound.

You guys went back to your show, only now on the TV instead of your laptop, with ice cream, toppings and a few different drinks TJ made for you. You were telling him how the family trip thing started and about your aunt’s phone call.

“And then Aunt Evelyn said she expected my boyfriend, because she’s done with me brooding.”

“Boyfriend?” he asked confused, mouth full of ice cream.

You shrugged. “She swears I’m dating.”

“Have you told her you don’t?”

“Of course!” you threw your hands high, “But she thinks I’m hiding my boyfriend.”

TJ hummed a surprised sound then was quiet for a moment. When he spoke again, you almost choked on your ice cream.

“What if I were your boyfriend?”

You coughed. “What?”

“I mean, what if I pretended to be your boyfriend?”

“TJ, you don’t have to-“

“I insist. Plus, I’ll be able to see you and take care of you instead of calling and feeling helpless as you tell me about your family. Remember it’s a week trip.”

“Well, if you have nothing better to do…”

“There’s nothing better than spending time with my girl.”

“You need a girlfriend, TJ,” you snickered.

TJ looked at you and smiled. “See, beautiful, now that’s taken care of,” he smiled.

&&

You fell asleep on the couch.

Not exactly on the couch, since it was more of on top of TJ. At least he had fallen asleep too, his arms wrapped around you and his lips on your hair, your head on his chest since he was half laying down, a blanket on top of the two of you.

“I think we should wake up and pack,” he mumbled, his eyes still closed. You only snuggled closer to him and inhaled. It made you dizzy from how good it was, but you thought it was only the sleep. You couldn’t deny that rough from sleep voice was something else.

“Shh. Five more minutes,” you hissed.

“Can’t argue with that.”

You fell asleep again and woke up two hours later, thankfully without a hangover.

You raised from the couch – and TJ embrace – and immediately missed TJ’s warmth. You ran your hands over your arms, but it was little use. You let him have the blanket and settled for his coat instead. Once you inhaled the cloth and his cologne, you knew you had a win-win situation.

You went to your bedroom and started packing your bags.

Ten minutes later, TJ’s head poked through the doorway as he rapped his finger’s on your wooden door.

“Want some help or do you prefer breakfast?” his voice was low and it made something inside of you warm.

“How about I help you with breakfast and then you help me here?”

“Sounds perfect, beautiful.”

Who cares if it was lunch time? You settled for pancakes and eggs. Easy right?

Not so much when TJ hooked his phone on your stereo and had the two of you singing loudly. He even made you drop the bowel on the counter as he wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you to a dance.

“TJ!” you screeched as he almost made you collapse on the floor.

“Now, beautiful, do you really think I’d let you fall?” he twirled you around slowly, knowing your soft socks made your feet slippery.

“No, I don’t,” you smiled as you clasped your hands around his neck again and your head on his shoulder.

“Good,” he replied, his own smile on his lip as he rested his head on top of yours, his hands back to your waist.

You simply spun around to the song until it was finished.

“Now, food.”

Two hours later, you had everything packed, both yours and TJ’s.

“Ready to face your family with your hot boyfriend?” he asked, a sly smile on his lips.

“No. But what the hell, let’s do this.”

“That’s my girl!”

It wasn’t a long trip.

&&

You knocked on the door twice, TJ by your side, a bag in each hand. He wouldn’t let you carry not even yours. “What kind of boyfriend will think I am?”, as he had put it.

No one came to answer the door when you tried for the third time. It was the right address your grandmother had sent you.

“Maybe they are out in the city?” TJ suggested.

“No. Maybe they aren’t hearing us,” you said, walking down the doorsteps, TJ hot on your heels. “Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“To the back,” you answered and led him to the gate by the side of the house you saw earlier. You and TJ heard splashing water and laughter as your approached the back the back of the house.

“TJ,” you said, gesturing to the bunch of people in sight, “This is my family.”

There people at the pool, some talking, some cooking, and some just lying on the sun like lizards… And your grandmother, walking straight to you with a big smile.

“[Y/n]!”

“Gram!”

Your hug was tight, arms around each other for dear life.

“Happy birthday.”

“Thank you, sweetheart.”

She was by far your favorite person in the family and you were the only one she actually, truly liked, besides her husband. Your grandfather was your second favorite because once he told you a non-correct story about the war that cost you a good grade on a test. How would you know the Allies didn’t wear pink badges at age 7?

You pulled apart and her eyes fixated on the man behind you.

“TJ, meet gram. Gram, this is Thomas, my boyfriend.”

It was weird to introduce TJ as your boyfriend, but it made you feel good somehow.

“Ma’am, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” TJ smiled as he lowered his bag to the ground, brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Happy birthday.”

You tried not to roll your eyes at TJ.

“The pleasure is all mine and thank you, dear,” she said. “But none of that ‘ma’am’ thing, you’re with family here,” she squeezed his hand. “Make yourself at home.”

TJ was happy to come with you, he truly was, but your grandmother’s words made something stir inside him. And you felt guilty for lying to her.

“Is it Thomas or TJ?”

“Thomas James, but everyone calls me TJ,” he explained.

“Now, [Y/n], why don’t you get this key,” your grandmother gave you a big, golden key, “Put those bags away in the room and introduce TJ around?”

“Sure, gram,” you smiled, though you really didn’t want to do that. “Which room?”

“Turn right at the table, follow the corridor, last door to the right. Hard to miss.”

“Okay.”

Then off you and TJ went, before anyone else saw you.

The room had a piece of paper, written “[Y/n] and …”

You really wasn’t expecting to share a room with TJ. Or a bed.

The room had a queen size bed on the far wall, a table with some books pushed to the wall and a big window and a couch. Another door that was probably the bathroom.

“I’m sorry, I’ll talk to them,” you said, walking toward the door.

“[Y/n], wait,” TJ held your arms, “There’s no need. Look, I can sleep on the couch, there’s no problem,” he said, pulling you into a hug, his hands running soothingly up and down your back. “Your family will suspect something’s up if we sleep in separate rooms.”

You pulled away just enough to see his eyes. “Yeah, okay. But I’ll sleep on the couch. You’re already making me a huge favor just by coming here and I’m smaller.”

TJ chuckled and kissed your forehead. “We’ll figure this out later. Now we’ll change and let’s meet your family.”

You changed to a swimsuit and light clothes in the bathroom as TJ did the same in the bedroom. It wasn’t the first time that you did something like, nor the first trip you and TJ went together. It was the first you acted as a couple though.

When you returned, sunglasses in your head and your hair pulled in a messy bun, TJ was ready to go.

You walked inside the house towards the background.

“Just follow the loud cheers,” TJ said, making you laugh. When you were approaching the double doors, TJ intertwined his fingers with yours.

You looked at him quizzically, but he just shrugged and squeezed your hand. His warm hand on yours made you happy somehow and calmer to see your family, that was a perk.

The whole family was happy to meet TJ. They smiled and clapped him on the shoulder and kissed his cheek. By the end of the tour, he had a beer in hands and you had a plate of food enough to feed an army.

You sat down on a chair by the shadows, a table in front of you.

“Aren’t you thirsty?” TJ asked.

“Yeah, but I was lacking a hand to grab a cup.”

TJ kept your hand in his the entire time and that had made you less nervous about the entire event.

“Hang on, I’ll get you something.”

As TJ knew your favorite drink, you simply leaned back and waited.

Your sunglasses in your face, you suddenly heard your Aunt’s voice. Aunt Evelyn.

“Oh do tell me, TJ, how did you ask [Y/n] out? She’s hardly the most outgoing person out there and she certainly didn’t ask you out,” your aunt chuckled.

“Actually,” TJ said, “It was [Y/n] who asked me out. We don’t go out much, it’s true, but I like it that way too. I’m not someone to go out quite often.”

Your Aunt was surprised. “What? [Y/n] actually asked you out? Someone as handsome as you? I find that hard to believe, TJ.”

“It’s the truth,” was all TJ said as he walked towards you, placed your drink on the table and leaned down to kiss your forehead.

You smiled shyly at him. “Thank you for doing this.”

He simply grabbed your hand again and all those emotions you were trying so hard to suppress came back at full range. “Anything for you, beautiful.”

Somehow you knew he wasn’t pretending when he said those words.

You looked down and cleared your throat. “You really don’t have to be polite with her,” you said and glanced at your Aunt, which was currently annoying your cousin.

“Being polite is the one guaranteed thing we have as our advantage,” TJ shot back.

“Since when are you a philosopher?” you chuckled and he smiled at you.

“Since you invited me, beautiful.”

After you ate and talked to your grandmother, you sat back on the chair you chose before. As it was a stretcher, TJ sat by the end of it, facing you. He had a mischievous glimpse in his eyes.

“It’s hot, right?”

“I guess,” you said cautiously, side glancing TJ.

“There’s a pool,” TJ grinned, taking the hems of his shirt and pulling it over his head. The image of TJ Hammond shirtless was something to behold and no matter how many times you saw it, your breathing was always affected. You managed to control your facial expression though and pulled an unimpressed look.

“Yeah.”

“You can swim,” he wiggled his eyebrows.

“So can you.”

“But I want company.”

“There’s so many people to keep you company,” you turned to point at the bunch of people in their swimsuits, ready for a dive. But then that was your mistake.

The second you turned, TJ jumped and cradled your body in his strong arms, ran towards the pool, completely ignoring your protests and jumped into the water.

“TJ!” You screeched as you resurfaced, your now wet hair all over your face.

TJ just bursted out laughing, his hands still on your waist.

“Let me go!”

You tried getting away from him, you really did, but his arms were firmly secured around your frame. So, instead of pushing him away, you had a better idea. Your hand went to the back of TJ’s head and he smiled, distracted at the touch. Then you bent your hand and brought his face straight into the water.

It was TJ’s turn to yell.

“[Y/n]!”

The easy smile he had on his lips, his muscular arms around your waist, his voice calling your name, his toned chest against your skin, his laugh when he was around you… Your heart stopped at a sudden realization: you were in love with TJ.

You were in love with your best friend, who was pretending to be your boyfriend on a family vacation.

“I’m sorry, TJ, I-”

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’m sorry for pulling you into the water like that,” he tried calming you, running one hand up and down your arm. It didn’t help you calm down, it caused goosebumps to your skin.

“I shouldn’t hav-”

“Are you okay?” he interrupted. You shook your head. “Then everything’s good. I’m not mad. It didn’t hurt, though I did swallow some water,” he chuckled, but went back to seriousness when he saw you didn’t laugh. His long, wet eyelashes made the color of his eyes more prominent, more penetrating, as they searched your face for something. “Are you mad? You know I love you, right, beautiful?”

You had heard him say that a million times, but there was something about the present moment that made you come to a halt.

He loved you as his best friend, no matter what part he was playing for your family, when you loved him as something more.

“Yeah, I know,” was all you managed to say before you pushed yourself out of the pool and went inside the house, towards your room and into the bathroom. You locked the door behind you and pushed your back against the wood. You slid to the ground and pulled your knees to your chest.

All you needed was a few minutes to compose yourself, just that.

You were going to calm down, go back there and pretend TJ was your boyfriend. Only pretend, because he couldn’t know how much you actually wanted it to be true. You would not ruin your friendship because of something stupid that would go away with time.

You just didn’t know TJ had been in love with you for quite some time.

&&

You decided to take a shower since you were already in the bathroom. The hot water managed to somewhat calm you enough for you to feel ready to be around TJ again.

You were drying yourself with a fluffy towel, still on the bathroom, when your mind started working again. Maybe you weren’t in love with TJ. No, perhaps you were merely attracted physically to him, he was handsome after all.

But when you reentered the bedroom with your towel around your body and TJ was sitting on the chair, his shirt back on his body and his hair already dry, and your heart started racing, you knew you were a goner. In love with your best friend? How cliché.

He bolted from the chair when he saw you, crossing the room in two long strides and gathering your hands in his gently. Completely ignoring your lack of clothes, as one could add. He had already seen you in less than a towel covering everything from your chest to your thighs.

“You okay? I’m sorry I threw you into the pool like that, I thought you wouldn’t mind,” his words came in a hurry and he was clearly worried that you were mad at him.

You shook your head. “It’s okay, really, I’m not mad. I just needed sometime alone, that’s all,” you shrugged and thanked the heavens that your voice came out evenly. “You know how I get sometimes,” you waved off.

Technically you weren’t lying; you did enjoy your alone time. But what happened that afternoon was not one of those episodes.

“Are you sure?” TJ’s eyes still roamed your face, searching for any signal that you were pissed at him.

“Yeah, I am. Now go take a shower, because I could smell you from the bathroom,” you chuckled and lightly shoved him towards the bathroom.

He laughed at you, turning and walking backwards. “You must have water in your brain, beautiful, because I don’t smell.”

“You keep telling yourself that, Thomas,” you murmured and went for your bag, searching for comfortable clothes.

You had forgot your pajamas. Of course. Now, with nothing but underwear on, you had nothing to wear.

Unless… You were pretty sure wouldn’t mind what you were about to do and, if he did, patience. He would have to suck it up. You needed clothes to sleep.

TJ’s shirts were all soft, but you knew he had brought it. He always brought it. The dark grey t-shirt, 100% cotton, with his permanent scent engraved into the cloth. It was one of his favorites shirts, but it was a rule that whenever you spent the night in his house, you’d get to sleep in that shirt. Technically, you were spending the night together, so you had a right to wear it.

The shirt, paired with sweatpants and fluffy socks, you were laying on the bed with your phone in hands waiting for TJ.

“Maybe the bed is yours, after all,” he joked, side glancing you as he rounded the bedroom to reach his bag and get a set of clothes.

You were trying very, very hard not to look at TJ walking with only a towel hanging on his hips. The lines in his toned stomach that lead to the grand prize were so defined…

“Maybe I can just chill here. I chill at your bed all the time,” you shrugged.

“Maybe it’s easier for the both of us if we both sleep on the bed,” TJ suggested, still scrambling through his clothes.

Your eyes shot open. “You sure?”

“I mean, why not?” it was TJ’s turn to shrug, “It wouldn’t be the first time and it’s a big bed anyway. I doubt you could wake me with your kicks anyway,” he flashed you a grin over his shoulder, which you responded by throwing a pillow at him.

He laughed and threw the pillow back on the bed.

“Get dressed already,” you groaned, “I’m hungry.”

“Almost done!” he said and ran to the bathroom to get dressed.

Obviously you didn’t want TJ to get dressed - If anything, you wanted to get rid of that towel hanging low on his hips -, but you couldn’t risk TJ finding out the real reason for that. He was your friend and that was it, nothing more would come from it for you. Simple.

Then why did the thought hurt so much?

&&

“Tell us how was your first date, young ones,” your grandfather asked from the chair near the food table. He was a smart man after all. The entire family was reunited – after showers - in the living room that had huge doors which opened to the back of the house, where more chairs and tables were spread.

“Our… what?”

“Your first date,” he said again, calm as ever.

“We went dancing,” TJ smiled, his hand snaking around your waist.

“Dancing?” Aunt Evelyn chuckled. “I didn’t know you danced, [Y/n].”

To be fair, you weren’t half bad in dancing.

“Why don’t you show your Aunt that you can dance then?” your grandfather suggested.

TJ made a move to grab your hand in his, but you took a step back. “I think I’ll pass, guys, sorry.”

“TJ,” your aunt shouted, “Why don’t you show these old man some moves?”

She actually walked up to him, almost touching his shoulder in order to force him to dance, when he got her hand in his own and took a step back.

“I wouldn’t want to ruin such a great couple from dancing,” TJ smiled at Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Sam, leading her to him. Then he walked to you, “But we are dancing,” he announced, offering his hand.

You placed yours on top of his, “You’re gonna regret it,” you snickered, quietly.

“Oh, am I?” TJ smirked, speaking quietly too. His low voice in your ear and his muscular body underneath that dark button up shirt were driving you crazy.

“TJ!” you screeched as he almost made you collapse on the floor by tugging your hand, but his strong arms grabbed your waist and hoisted you close to his chest.

“Now, beautiful, do you really think I’d let you fall?” he twirled you around slowly, knowing your soft socks made your feet slippery. “I think we should do this the right way,” he said as he pulled you toward his body once again.

You arched an eyebrow to him, your hands clasped behind his neck and his on both sides of your waist.

“The right way?”

His hands ran up to your shoulder, leaving goosebumps on its way, until those grabbed your hands. TJ took a step back, dropped your hands and bowed.

“May I have this dance, ma’am?” he asked, a smile on his lips.

You grabbed the hem of your – his – large shirt and bowed as well.

“I’d be glad.”

TJ took’ your hand in his, your free one went to his shoulder and his went to your waist. He locked his eyes with your and started leading you to the music.

The song was easy to follow and TJ was a great dancer, so there were no major difficulties in looking presentable. He twirled you around and, by the hand he kept holding, pulled you gently against his chest. The song ended with your chests glued together and TJ’s lips mere inches from yours.

You were wondering how his lips would feel against yours when he leaned down to kiss you.

You melted in his arms, but it was okay, TJ had you firmly secured with his muscular ones around your frame. The kiss was calm, sweet, but not hesitant. TJ had his fair knowledge of things and you were far from a blushing virgin, but his careful touches made something twirl inside you.

Too soon, he pulled away and you had to suppress a groan. He couldn’t know how much you had enjoyed it, never.

Before you actually feel like TJ had backed away because he had tired of you, the claps and the whooping from your family reached your ears.

You blushed and hid your face in TJ’s chest until they calmed down.

And then your younger cousin asked, “Was that your first kiss?”

Before either you or TJ could respond, or stammer a ridiculous sentence due to nervousness, your grandmother intervened.

“Of course not, dear! Didn’t you see the passion in such kiss?”

“Passion?” the little girl asked, confused.

“The love was evident between them, don’t you agree?” your grandmother guided and your cousin smiled.

“That I saw.”

“There’s your answer then.”

You couldn’t bring yourself to look at TJ, though you could feel his eyes on you.

“So,” you started, walking towards your grandmother, “What’s for dinner?”

&&

“Can we talk?”

TJ had just closed the bedroom door behind him and dropped the bomb. Maybe he figured out how you felt about him? Maybe he wanted to go home?

“About?” You tried to act calm as you roamed through your bag, pretending to search for something.

“Beautiful, remember you forgot your pajamas,” he chuckled as he came to stand behind you, his hands holding yours still. He turned you around, but kept your fingers intertwined. His face was so dangerously close to yours and you couldn’t stop from thinking about how his lips had felt soft against yours.

“Right,” you scoffed and blushed, due to his intense eyes on you, but TJ could think it was because you were embarrassed you forgot your pajamas. Or that you forgot that you forgot your pajamas. Truly, you didn’t, but it was better this way.

“So I had to ask you,” TJ said, “Do you mind if we sleep in the same bed? I’ll feel super bad if you sleep on the couch – I tried it while you were in the shower and I guarantee it wasn’t made for sleeping.”

How could you sleep with TJ? At the same time, how you could say ‘no’? Puppy dog eyes weren’t fair and TJ should know that.

“Okay,” you sighed at last. TJ’s smile was everything you needed to confirm it was the right call. Then you remembered, “Do you have another shirt for sleep?”

“Would you like it if the answer was ‘no’?” TJ laughed. “Yep. I brought this one for you, beautiful.”

“Thanks,” you kissed his cheek and turned around. He entered the bathroom to change clothes and you missed how deeply TJ blushed and how lovingly he smiled as he touched his fingers lightly to his cheek, the ghost of your lips lingering on the hot skin.

You didn’t sleep right away. TJ brought cards and you decided poker was the way to go. Both sitting on the bed on pajamas, facing each other, defiant expressions on your faces.

Grinning and narrowing your eyes, you said, “2 dollars.”

He mimicked your expression and it just wasn’t fair how good he looked. “Three.”

You paid. Total of $9.80 dollars on the table. Bed, actually.

Bucky showed you his cards, two aces. With the one on the table, he had three. Not bad.

But you had better.

“Too much for you, doll?” TJ smugly asked.

You flipped one of your cards, a queen which paired with the other two queens on the table.

“Sorry, beautiful, but you know that’s not enough,” TJ grinned and reached out for the money. Your hand caught his mid-air.

“Who said I’m finished?” It was your turn to grin devilishly. For a moment, TJ was so lost in your smile he forgot what was going on around him.

Then you showed him your second and last card: another queen.

His jaw hung open. “Shit.”

You laughed and took the money.

TJ leaned back and rested his back against the board, placing one of the pillows on his lap, a small smile on his lips. “I’m impressed, beautiful.”

You looked at him. “I’m not,” you flipped your hair and made a very smug expression. But you both bursted out laughing before you could finish your act.

TJ opened his mouth to say something, but you shivered before any sound could make its way out of his mouth. TJ immediately sat up.

“You grandmother did warn me that the temperature dropped during the night,” he said as he bolted from the bed.

“It’s okay,” you wrapped your arms around yourself, trying to conserve the heat. You turned to see TJ roaming through the wardrobe. “What are you doing?”

“Your grandmother said there were comforters here and that we should probably need one for the night. Aha!” TJ close the wardrobe with his foot because his hands were carrying the huge thing.

Instead of setting it on the bed as you thought he would, TJ wrapped it around you.

“Thanks.”

“Anytime, beautiful,” he said and kissed your cheek.

You yawned.

“Time for bed?” TJ smiled at you.

“Please,” you yawned once more, TJ chuckled.

You settled for bed and laid on the bed. TJ turned the lights off and slipped into the covers. You laid side by side, the comforter spread over the bed, covering you both.

“Night, TJ,” you murmured, closing your eyes.

“Night, [Y/n],” he answered and squeezed your hand. You squeezed back with a smile on your lips before you fell asleep with his breathing calming you.

It was the middle of the night when you woke up to light movement.

“Hey,” TJ whispered, drawing you closer to his chest and wrapping his arms around your frame, “You were shivering, I’m just trying to help.”

You didn’t know if it was the sleep retarding your movements or if it was the fact that TJ was making you sleep on his chest with his muscular arms around you but you didn’t move away.

“Now, go back to sleep,” he whispered. TJ’s hands were rubbing your back, trying to provide some heat. He leaned down and kissed your forehead, then murmured lowly, “Sweet dreams, beautiful.”

A few days passed and TJ managed to help you with keeping your distance from your Aunt Evelyn and her snarky comments and your uncles and their sexist views.

Your act with TJ had become better since the kiss. You decided to enjoy TJ as your boyfriend – even if it was pretend - while you could and had the perfect excuse to hold his hand, brush your fingers against his, smiling at him. TJ followed up and he would smile back, place his hands on your waist and shoulders whenever he could. You hadn’t kissed since the night your grandparents asked you to dance two nights ago.

Until, well, your cousin decided to be annoying. Your cousin was known for… showing her looks a bit too much. Which was clearly displayed by her tiny bikini and her absurd amount of makeup.

She interrupted your conversation with your grandmother and TJ asking for help with something inside the house, claiming she couldn’t reach something in a high shelf. TJ, always the gentleman, offered to help. So inside the house the two of them went.

But it took too long.

“TJ probably lost himself inside the house,” you said to your grandmother, once she asked about them.

She laughed, “I bet your cousin doesn’t know the way either.”

You chuckled, but something still didn’t feel right. Your cousin was usually up to no good and, giving TJ’s looks, you bet your money in what she would try to do.

“I’ll try and find them then.”

Your grandmother leaned back and kept on enjoying the sun while you rose from your chair and walked to the house.

The living room, which had access to the garden from where you came from, showed no sign of them. The same from the bedrooms and kitchen. Where did your cousin say she wanted to reach for something?

Your heard a giggle. From the garage. Of course. If your cousin wanted to fool around, she’d do it in the farthest place from everyone possible.

The door was closed, but you could see TJ and your cousin inside by the little window on the door.

You tried to stay calm, but why were they there? Why was the door closed? What were they doing? You decided to watch to be sure.

Your cousin was practically bouncing, her shoulder square to improve her breasts. You heard muffled sounds but you couldn’t make out the words. TJ seemed to be asking her for something. She shook her head and looked at her breasts, her hands clasped behind her. TJ sighed and didn’t seem happy with the situation. Your cousin could be a pain in the ass if she wanted to. But then TJ reached out and placed his hand on her breasts.

Deciding it was too much, you turned and walked away.

Technically, TJ was free to do whatever he wanted. But it had to be with your cousin during the family reunion in which he was pretending to be your boyfriend? Anger tears pricked your eyes, but you payed them no attention. You walked to your bedroom and sat on the bed.

Not even 10 minutes later, TJ was poking his head through the door.

“Hey.”

You didn’t answer. It was childish and you knew it, but you couldn’t help yourself.

TJ opened the door wider and stepped into the room. “You okay?”

You huffed and rolled your eyes. Okay?

“Beautiful, please, talk to me.” TJ closed the door behind him and kneeled by your side, his hand on your knee. “What happened?”

“Why don’t you go back and play with my cousin’s boobs a little more, TJ? Leave me alone.”

“That’s what you think happened back there?” he asked, rising to his feet. “You won’t even let me explain!”

“Explain what, huh?” you mocked, standing up, “How she didn’t want help and you two were probably kissing?”

“She said she wanted the bowl someone put on the top shelf on the garage,” TJ began, “But when I tried to find it, there was nothing there. I asked about it and she said there was no bowl. She locked the door and put the key between her breasts.”

“Which you didn’t hesitate to get, right?” you knew it wasn’t true. TJ seemed pretty annoyed by the situation, but you had so many emotions running wild that you couldn’t focus.

“That I spent almost 20 minutes trying to reason with her,” TJ sighed, then he remembered why he was angry. “And since when do you care who I kiss or not, [Y/n]?”

“I’ve always cared!”

And it was the truth. You always cared about TJ and who he kissed or didn’t, but only since you realized your feelings for him that you understood why you did it. You used to think it was because he was your best friend and you wanted him to find someone that cared about him as much as you did.

How wrong you were. You cared about him because you loved him.

“You did, didn’t you?” TJ said. “But you were never mad! Why were you today?”

“You were supposed to be my boyfriend in this, remember?” You argue as you flail your arms around. “And then you do God-knows-what with my cousin!”

“Now that I think of it,” TJ paused for a moment, “

“During the last few days, you’ve been acting weird. It didn’t feel like you were pretending to like at all! So why don’t you just tell me why?”

“You know what? It’s because maybe I want to be your girlfriend!”

“Oh yeah? And maybe I want to be your boyfriend!”

“Really?” you shouted. And then froze. With your voice just above a whisper you repeated, “Really?”

TJ stepped closer and held your hands. His eyes focused on yours and you could barely breathe. “Really, [Y/n].” TJ smiled and asked, “Can I kiss you?”

“Why haven’t you yet?”

He chuckled. “So eager.” But he did lean in and kissed you.

It was very different than your first kiss. Now that you two were aware of each other’s feelings, things were clearer. His lips were soft against yours, his hands held the small of your back and the side of your neck, your arms around his neck.

When you pulled away, TJ touched your foreheads together.

He huffed out a laugh, a lazy smile spreading across his face. “What do you say, beautiful? Will you be my girlfriend?”

You hugged him tighter, your own smile on your face. “Yes, TJ I’ll be your girlfriend.”

But before he could kiss you again, he perked up, excited with his eyes wide open and grinning.

“Hey, best part? I’ve already been introduced to your family.”

Perhaps you should thank your cousin, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Come play with me on [Tumblr](https://the-girl-without-a-face.tumblr.com/)!


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